Hybrid vehicle

• US 8,220,573 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Izumi, Kazunari, Oe, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/450,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20100140001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.25, 180/65.26, 180/65.27, 180/65.28, 180/65.29, 180/65.285, 180/65.275, 701/22, 701/69, 123/525, 123/672, 123/179.4, 123/431, 903/918, 903/905, 903/907
• US Class Current: 180/65.275
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/007 characterised by its use in vehicles, in stationary plants or in small engines, e.g. hand held tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle includes a fuel tank for storing fuel for an engine, a circulation system (a pump), a first path, a pressure regulator, and a second path for circulating the fuel, and a control device (hybrid control unit). When the hybrid vehicle is in a vehicular state that satisfies a predetermined condition, the control device controls the hybrid vehicle so that it performs EV traveling (electrical vehicle traveling) in which wheels are driven by a rotating electrical machine with the engine stopped. When the stop period of the engine is equal to or longer than a predetermined period, the control device drives the circulation system to circulate the fuel.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a rotating electrical machine for generating torque to drive a wheel;

an internal combustion engine for performing at least one of driving of said wheel and supply of motive power to said rotating electrical machine;

a fuel tank for storing fuel for said internal combustion engine;

a circulation system for taking out said fuel from said fuel tank, and for returning to said fuel tank said fuel thus taken out; and

a control device for controlling the hybrid vehicle such that when a state of the hybrid vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition, the hybrid vehicle travels as an electrical vehicle with said wheel driven by said rotating electrical machine while said internal combustion engine is stopped, and for driving said circulation system to circulate said fuel when said internal combustion engine has been stopped for at least a predetermined period.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control device drives said circulation system while the hybrid vehicle travels as an electrical vehicle.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein when said control device expects that there is a need for start of said internal combustion engine based on the state of the hybrid vehicle, said control device causes said circulation system to operate.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a power storage device being charged with electric power supplied from a power supply provided externally to the hybrid vehicle, and for supplying electric power to said rotating electrical machine.